John Edwin Nixon was born 1841 in Windsor, the son of Thomas Nixon. He came up to King’s College in 1859 from Eton and Leicester Collegiate School. He matriculated at Michaelmas of that year, received his BA in Classics in 1863 and his MA in 1866. Nixon was made a fellow of the College in 1862.

After receiving his BA, Nixon went on to become an Assistant Master at Wellington College, and a Classical Lecturer at King’s College, London. He was recalled to King’s College, Cambridge in 1874 – a post which he held until his death in 1916. He was also Dean in the years 1873–83, and again in 1885–89. From 1881 until 1914 he was Gresham Professor of Rhetoric.

Character and interests

Nixon took a keen interest in the establishment and progress of the Choir School. He was a great lover of music and organised informal associations of part-singers, who would meet in his rooms.

Nixon was an enthusiastic teacher, particularly of Latin prose composition and he authored works on Latin verse, prose composition and rhetoric.

Generosity, warmth of heart, great loyalty in friendship, and zeal for justice were prominent features in Nixon’s character. His bequests to the College of sums of money for the Supplementary Exhibition Fund, for the benefit of former Choristers and for the upkeep of games in the Fellows’ Garden, illustrate his interest in the diverse sides of College life.

Nixon was popular within the College and kindly remembered by absent Kingsmen, and from no one did they receive a warmer welcome when they revisited the College. Until his death on 8 February 1916 (age 76) he was characteristically tireless in corresponding with Kingsmen in the Armed Forces. He was buried in the St Edward’s area of Mill Road Cemetery on 12 February 1916.